The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a bit of an odd duck in horror. It’s one of the earliest slashers, so it doesn’t really follow the expected formula, as the formula was still being crafted. What it is, is an earnest, pseudo-documentary reenactment of a rash of murders and their subsequent investigation in a post-war Texarkana, told from the perspective of local law enforcement. It’s based on a real murderer, the Phantom Killer, which gives things a very true crime feel. There’s even voiceover narration and dates superimposed to show time jumps. The performances are okay, but the killer is definitely noteworthy. And the technical aspects play it maybe too safe. As far as movies go, this is incredibly straightforward, but it’s a nice piece of horror history, and definitely worth your time.
